I've been thinking, there is pretty well a large need for some sort of sign with radio frequency so that passing vehicles can see more than "a bunch of random flashing lights". Some of you have posted pictures of construction of mountable and often display-integrated signs that are sequenced with the rest of the display.
There must be others in the community that would like a back-lit tune to sign, but don't necessarily want to mount it on a wall or sequence it as a display element. This is where I got thinking about a "Standalone" Tune to sign. that could be installed and removed each night. This would enable it to be positioned near a road (but would need to be watched or chained down or something).
My own personal requirements are that I want it close to the road so that cars will see as they approach and there cannot be cables running to there, so whatever it is should be "wireless" and run a colour-cycling (demo) mode. It also needs to be portable as I would set it up, turn on, turn off and take it in every night.
Some items that could make a standalone sign work could be:
With the Ray Wu 3 channel DMX board mentioned above, the option is there to later connect the sign to a DMX universe and control the colour of sign like any other RGB element (no longer a standalone RGB sign).
So that's one way to do it with Dumb RGB strip. How about intelligent 12v strip? The J1sys DCG/ECG products also have a demo mode, achieving a standalone result but with intelligent-level effects. I am just unclear when the demo mode runs - is it when no data cable is connected/no signal received to the DCG/ECG or must it be set somewhere (such as onboard web interface - data cable required)? Or maybe there is another intelligent RGB device the has a demo mode? Perhaps someone can jump in with an answer to this!
This is all just a pie in the sky idea at this time, but I do wonder if there could be enough interest by some who only want a standalone sign to have some kind of suitable enclosure made up with a blank coro front. Then the purchaser just assembles the bits into enclosure and writes a message (radio frequency) on the coro (e.g. with vinyl).
Thoughts?
There must be others in the community that would like a back-lit tune to sign, but don't necessarily want to mount it on a wall or sequence it as a display element. This is where I got thinking about a "Standalone" Tune to sign. that could be installed and removed each night. This would enable it to be positioned near a road (but would need to be watched or chained down or something).
My own personal requirements are that I want it close to the road so that cars will see as they approach and there cannot be cables running to there, so whatever it is should be "wireless" and run a colour-cycling (demo) mode. It also needs to be portable as I would set it up, turn on, turn off and take it in every night.
Some items that could make a standalone sign work could be:
- A Ray Wu 3-channel DMX board (HD-714) - This enables control of the sign if one wishes but I am led to believe that it will cycle through colours (a what rate I am not sure) in "demo" mode if there is no power but no signal
- A 12v battery to power the sign for a few hours a night (charged before/after nightly installation). Jaycar usually carry SLA-type batteries that could power a HD714 controller and 1 metre of RGB strip for 2-3 hours. A 7.2 Ah battery is priced at $30. SB2486
- A charger for the above battery. Once more, David of Audio Visual Devices stocks these for $25 (MB3526)
- 12v 5050 RGB Strip (no IC).
With the Ray Wu 3 channel DMX board mentioned above, the option is there to later connect the sign to a DMX universe and control the colour of sign like any other RGB element (no longer a standalone RGB sign).
So that's one way to do it with Dumb RGB strip. How about intelligent 12v strip? The J1sys DCG/ECG products also have a demo mode, achieving a standalone result but with intelligent-level effects. I am just unclear when the demo mode runs - is it when no data cable is connected/no signal received to the DCG/ECG or must it be set somewhere (such as onboard web interface - data cable required)? Or maybe there is another intelligent RGB device the has a demo mode? Perhaps someone can jump in with an answer to this!
This is all just a pie in the sky idea at this time, but I do wonder if there could be enough interest by some who only want a standalone sign to have some kind of suitable enclosure made up with a blank coro front. Then the purchaser just assembles the bits into enclosure and writes a message (radio frequency) on the coro (e.g. with vinyl).
Thoughts?